How the brain‑infecting Naegleria amoeba moves
Official title: Defining cytoskeletal mechanisms driving cell motility in Naegleria
Funded at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth · NIH-11251281 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are learning how the brain‑infecting amoeba Naegleria moves so they can find ways to stop it.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Massachusetts Dartmouth NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (North Dartmouth, United States) |
| Project start | August 25, 2022 |
| Project end | December 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $249,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R00GM147656-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11251281 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This is laboratory research on amoebas and does not enroll patients, so there are no patient candidates for participation.
✕Less likely to help
People currently infected with Naegleria fowleri are unlikely to receive direct or immediate benefit because the project is basic science rather than a clinical treatment.
What this research studies
This project looks at how Naegleria amoebas build and break down their internal scaffold (the cytoskeleton) to crawl. Scientists will compare the harmless model Naegleria gruberi with the disease‑causing Naegleria fowleri to see which movement mechanisms are shared and which differ. They will study actin and the Arp2/3 protein complex and observe how cells move on different surfaces and through tight spaces. The team will use microscopy and molecular tools in the laboratory to watch and manipulate amoeba movement.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could reveal ways to block the amoeba's movement and lead to new approaches for treating or preventing deadly Naegleria brain infections.
How similar studies have gone: Laboratory studies with the non‑pathogenic Naegleria gruberi have shown actin‑based crawling similar to animal cells, but applying these findings to the human pathogen N. fowleri is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
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University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
North Dartmouth, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Velle, Katrina — University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
- Study coordinator: Velle, Katrina
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.